Chapter 576 Students

A week had passed since Samuel Oakley, the dean of Arbor Academy, announced that classes would begin. Meaning, today was the day.

As such, long-time residents of Arbor Town had no choice but to stop their daily routines and admire the hustle and bustle of young men and women who each were no doubt on their way to the recently constructed academy.

For some of these youths, enrolling into Arbor Academy was a once in a lifetime opportunity. The commoners for the first time ever received scholarships to enroll and prove their worth.

But it wasn't just a matter of proving one's worth. It was also a matter of forging relationships with people who would no doubt form the future of the kingdom. Or would it be better to say the future of the empire now that Bosque had become a vassal of Volcan?

Truthfully, that didn't matter. War and disaster may approach, but the students felt safe in the hands of Samuel. Plus, the line up of instructors that Samuel managed to snatch were not run of the mill adventurers.

Learning from the likes of Clarys was an opportunity that was hard to come by. As an authority in the branch of healing magic, there were many aspiring healers looking forward to receiving her teachings.

Other instructors like Archer, who joined the academy as an instructor alongside Christian, were lesser known but nonetheless powerhouses in their respective fields.

All in all, the students had much to look forward to.

Students entered the academy grounds and admired the beautiful craftsmanship of each nook and cranny. But this stopped when a carriage containing the royal emblem parked outside the academy grounds.

Alighting from this carriage were Brennan's sons. Princes Alvin and Aaron Bosque. Many of the students enrolling were uneducated and could not recognize the emblem at a glance. It was those of noble worth that had to educate them on the importance of the individuals who had just arrived.

Learning of this, the commoner students suddenly felt an increasing sense of importance. They were enrolling alongside princes! This was an academy trusted by the royal family! As the first alumnus of this academy they had something to brag about for a lifetime.

While many of the students were jovial at the arrival of these princes, Wiley was not. To be exact, Wiley could care far less than he already did.

He was preoccupied with thoughts of helping Agalia and nothing more.

Another individual who was not at all amused by the entrance of the princes was Kimani. This girl was simply clueless, however. Her mind was being tormented by thoughts of escaping immediately.

But Kimani then remembered the words of her mother who sounded delighted and wished for her to attend and she had no choice but to oblige.

From the highest floor of the academy, Samuel Oakley was observing the students.

Alongside him was his son, Sammy. His eyes were shining brightly.

"Dad, you are amazing!" Sammy had no clue how he would be able to befriend so many people but he was eager to get started.

Samuel, unaware of his son's thoughts, only chuckled.

His expression then turned serious. This was the start of their counterattack.

Those who wished to use their teachings for scholarly matters would mold the political scene of the kingdom and empire.

And those who wished to pursue strength and reach the ranks of A-class adventurers, Samuel would make sure to make them the strongest version of themselves they could be.

Until some day they could stand alongside him and perhaps even surpass him. Then they could crush the threat of the Cave of Myths once and for all.

But this was all long term. Samuel could not see into the future and he was far more focused on the present. There was a reason why he was watching from the highest vantage point as all the students entered.

'That sinister aura' Prince Aaron and the girl he learned of, named Kimani, were both unknowns. Before Samuel could turn the future he envisioned into reality, he needed to protect the students from any and all threats.

'I will make sure to observe you both' If Kimani and the Prince ever met and formed a relationship, he would know to be suspicious. Their statuses were wholly different. It would be bizarre for the two to meet by mere coincidence when both shared this sinister mana.

Samuel then let out a sigh.

"It's about time" He told Sammy who nodded.

He needed to make an opening speech welcoming the students before they could then be guided to their classrooms to familiarize themselves with their instructors and classmates.

There was a lot to look forward to. For Samuel and for others.

***

Alastor Galeburst. He who had come under the tutelage of a dragon was crying bitter tears. He was currently laying on the ground completely exhausted and unable to lift even a finger.

"You foolish thing! Did I say you could rest yet?!?" His dragon overlord however detested weakness.

Alastor then felt strength returning to his body as vines and nature began to embrace him. Alastor had grown to hate this feeling of restoration more than that of exhaustion. As such, he remained motionless. historical

"Hey! HEY! I'm a great dragon, do you think I could possibly fail to heal an inferior being such as yourself?" The dragon roared evidently angry.

"DAMN IT!" Alastor cried and jumped off the ground full of unwanted vitality.

"BRING IT ON!!!!" Alastor yelled, faking bravado.

Immediately after, the nature which had been embracing Alastor just a few seconds ago grew thorny and sharp. An overwhelming number of vines and leaves started to dart towards Alastor.

Alastor channeled the power of the wind as best he could to propel the attacks but they mercilessly broke through his barriers.

Alastor was immediately turned into a bloodied rag. He then once more collapsed onto the ground this time unable to feel any limb in his body. That was at least until the natural mana of the dragon once again blessed his body with new strength.

"Again!" The dragon then repeated his routine.

Alastor at the end of his wits gave up on using the wind.

"AAAAAAAAAAH! STOP IT!!!" Recalling the feeling of nature that had overwhelmed his body just seconds ago an explosive amount of mana containing the elements of earth and water, of nature, radiated out.

The thorny vines and sharp leaves were all forced to a halt.

"MWUAHAHA!!! Amusing! To use my own power against me, incredible!" The dragon was amused and Alastor was delighted. But the delight was short lived.

"You need to be punished" The dragon said coldly.

"Wh- No! Wait please!" Alastor did not know how the dragon could possibly torture him any more than the training already had but he had zero intention to find out.

"Talking back?" Hearing this, Alastor immediately covered his mouth with both of his hands before then realizing a problem.. He would be punished whether he spoke or not!

As a matter of fact, the boss room began to be filled with an overwhelming amount of mana.

"PLEASE RECONSIDER MASTER! I MERELY MANAGED TO USE WHAT YOU'VE TAUGHT ME TO ETCH OUT A PITIFUL COUNTERATTACK!" Alastor's desperate yell caused the dragon's mana to sharply drop.

"Hmm, I suppose that's true. Even something as talent less as a human can pick up a useful skill when under my tutelage." The dragon was convinced. Alastor sighed inwardly in relief.

Previously, Alastor was full of conviction. He would leave the dungeon with newfound power and reclaim his rightful position in the Galeburst dynasty. By now however any such thoughts vanished.

The moment that Alastor was freed, if that ever came to pass, he would make sure to travel to the opposite edge of the world to keep as much as a distance from his 'master' as possible!

***

Moriel. The disciple of the great Sage of Space.

The disappearance of his master into a dungeon had him in something of a slump. While it was inevitable that he initially wanted to avenge his master or find out if there was any chance he could still be alive he ultimately chose to listen to the letter that his master left behind.

Black Hole.

That was what his master had dubbed the spell. Before he learned it, his master forbade him from venturing anywhere. Moriel had to admit his master knew him quite well. He did have a tendency to rush things.

His master always believed there was something wrong with him. Moriel always thought that it was nice of his master to take him under his wing in spite of that. Perhaps that only served as an indicator of Moriel's great talents.

"Thank you, master. This is a wonderful spell" Moriel had wasted absolutely no time in his attempts to learn the spell.

Black hole.

That was what his master had dubbed the spell.

Moriel could not get over that name. There was something captivating about the concept. A pitch black tear in space that made nothing of any and all mass.

Was it not beautiful? Was it not the ultimate form of destruction? Turning everything and anything into nothingness, what wasn't there to love about that!?!?

Moriel was entranced by what he created. It took nearly all of his mana for him to succeed but the fact remained that he succeeded. He saw how the spell devoured as much as he was capable of sustaining.

Moriel was now ready to embark.

He then shook his head.

Before any of that, Moriel had come up with a new idea. His visit to the Epoch's island was fruitful and the new spell his master left him was infinitely inspiring. His admiration for the man soared.

Moriel needed to consolidate his thoughts and create spells of his own that would not shame the one he called his master.